353 - 180° Turnaround

Torah commentaries teach that the distance between knowing Emunah in our heads as opposed to truly and sincerely internalizing that Emunah in our hearts is greater than the distance between heaven and earth. Most believing Jews understand that prayer to Hashem makes an impact and is certainly a worthwhile investment on our part. However, internalizing the true extent of just how powerful each word of prayer we utter creates is our life's work. Imagine for a moment that every time we would pray, we would automatically receive a million dollars. If that were the case, we would probably be praying all day because we are experiencing the results to our action of prayer. Our job and purpose in this world is specifically to believe when we don't experience and we don't see the impact of our efforts. Making efforts to internalize just how powerful every single prayer we make is will inspire us to pray with more concentration, to mean what we say, to be more sincere in our personal conversations with Hashem, and to devote more time to such a holy and potent and powerful endeavor.

There is a well-known story that took place many years ago of a man whose wife gave birth. Two weeks later, she became very seriously ill. When they visited the doctor, after he assessed the situation, he called for immediate surgery due to the urgency of the situation. The man, who lived in Bnei Brak, the hometown of the great rabbi, the Chazon Ish, decided that although the diagnosis seemed clear, he nevertheless would like to consult his rabbi, the Chazon Ish, and receive his blessing to move forward with the surgery. When the man arrived at the shul of the Chazon Ish, it was just before the time of the mincha prayers. The man went over to the rabbi, the Chazon Ish, and reported his case. He said, Rabbi, my wife gave birth two weeks ago. Now she has become ill, and after visiting the doctor, he's advised us that we need to go ahead and perform surgery immediately. However, the doctor also told us that as a result of the surgery, my wife will never be able to have any more children.

So, the rabbi, the Chazon Ish, looks at the man and says, “I'm sorry about the situation, that the prognosis is that you will not be able to have more children. However, the halacha is clear. When someone's life is in danger, you certainly are obligated to go ahead and perform the surgery, even though you will not be able to have children in the future.” And then suddenly the Chazon Ish turns around to the man and says, it's time for mincha now, and they begin to daven mincha together. After mincha, the Chazon Ish turns around to the man and says, please can you repeat your situation to me? And the man does so. The Chazon Ish says, “do not go ahead with the surgery.” The man obviously is very perplexed. The Chazon Ish was very clear before mincha that this is the law, you've got to go ahead with the surgery. It's pikuach nefesh; someone's life is at stake. However, just after mincha, the Chazon Ish had a 180 degree turn and said, you should not go ahead with the surgery.

The Chazon Ish explained himself. He said, “that's what we said before we davened mincha. But after we davened mincha and I used the opportunity to ask Hashem that your wife should not have to undergo the surgery and thereby not be able to have children in the future, everything's changed.” In the end, they did not go ahead with the surgery and against all statistics, this woman had nine children after that episode. Of course, we all have to be responsible in the way we deal with situations. And perhaps only people as great as the Chazon Ish would be able to make such a decision as in this story. However, what is certainly applicable to every one of us is the power of tefillah. Tefillah can change situations. Every single one of us has the constant opportunity of tefillah.